Chairperson, hon members, we all know about the conditions under which our teachers have to work. Given these conditions, when the results were published, the IFP congratulated all those who passed. However, I want to invite this House, especially the committee, to look carefully at the article recently published by a renowned academic, the vice-chancellor of the University of the Free State. In that article, the vice-chancellor cautions against the exaggerated high over the high percentage of Grade 12 passes.
He gives his reasons. One is that the majority of those who passed failed their first year at university and he questions why they fail at such a rate. He also says that it seems very easy to obtain a distinction these days. I remember during my matric days it was really not easy to get a distinction. This renowned academic looks at other factors around matric results and I would really like us, as a committee, to have a real debate on the results. While we congratulate those who have passed, we must not just dismiss such a report so easily. We have to look into it. [Applause.]
Motion agreed to.
Report accordingly adopted.